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Aura-biomes are present in the water layer above coral reef benthic macro-organisms
- Source :
- PeerJ, PeerJ, Vol 5, p e3666 (2017)
- Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- As coral reef habitats decline worldwide, some reefs are transitioning from coral- to algal-dominated benthos with the exact cause for this shift remaining elusive. Increases in the abundance of microbes in the water column has been correlated with an increase in coral disease and reduction in coral cover. Here we investigated how multiple reef organisms influence microbial communities in the surrounding water column. Our study consisted of a field assessment of microbial communities above replicate patches dominated by a single macro-organism. Metagenomes were constructed from 20 L of water above distinct macro-organisms, including (1) the coral Mussismilia braziliensis, (2) fleshy macroalgae (Stypopodium, Dictota and Canistrocarpus), (3) turf algae, and (4) the zoanthid Palythoa caribaeorum and were compared to the water microbes collected 3 m above the reef. Microbial genera and functional potential were annotated using MG-RAST and showed that the dominant benthic macro-organisms influence the taxa and functions of microbes in the water column surrounding them, developing a specific “aura-biome”. The coral aura-biome reflected the open water column, and was associated with Synechococcus and functions suggesting oligotrophic growth, while the fleshy macroalgae aura-biome was associated with Ruegeria, Pseudomonas, and microbial functions suggesting low oxygen conditions. The turf algae aura-biome was associated with Vibrio, Flavobacterium, and functions suggesting pathogenic activity, while zoanthids were associated with Alteromonas and functions suggesting a stressful environment. Because each benthic organism has a distinct aura-biome, a change in benthic cover will change the microbial community of the water, which may lead to either the stimulation or suppression of the recruitment of benthic organisms.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
0301 basic medicine
Coral reefs
lcsh:Medicine
Marine Biology
Biology
Coral reef organizations
01 natural sciences
Microbiology
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Microbial ecology
03 medical and health sciences
Aura-biome
14. Life underwater
Aquaculture of coral
Reef
geography
geography.geographical_feature_category
Ecology
Resilience of coral reefs
010604 marine biology & hydrobiology
General Neuroscience
lcsh:R
fungi
technology, industry, and agriculture
General Medicine
Coral reef
social sciences
Biodiversity
Genomics
biochemical phenomena, metabolism, and nutrition
030104 developmental biology
Benthic zone
Corals
Metagenomics
General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Coral reef protection
Environmental issues with coral reefs
geographic locations
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 21678359
- Volume :
- 5
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PeerJ
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....b91fae9c80da8e5d56323a854f8f5dbd